Supergrass live at the Sheffield Octagon review by Rob Johnson
Supergrass’ debut album I Should Coco was released in the summer of ‘95 to widespread acclaim. That being said, they were dismissed in some quarters as a novelty band due to their cheeky persona and offbeat lyrics. Thirty years later, a sold-out tour to celebrate their debut album is a testament to the band’s longevity and enduring appeal.
Playing an album in full is an odd prospect for a live gig. No record is sequenced with that in mind, and so there are bound to be peaks and troughs. I imagine the band would never ordinarily choose to throw out such indie pop behemoths as ‘Caught by the Fuzz’, ‘Mansize Rooster’ and ‘Alright’ within the first four songs, but they are bound to do so here (the tracklist of the album dictates it) and the effect is like a plucky boxer taking a hit full to the face within the first thirty seconds of the first round of a bout. Supergrass were barely out of short trousers when this first album dropped (frontman Gaz Coombes was only 19), but they are able to capture the insouciance of youth that defines I Should Coco when performing those early singles in a way that is simply joyous. Indeed, ‘Caught by the Fuzz’ sounds even more punky and abrasive here than it does on the record and ‘Alright’ is quite simply a timeless song – a perfect slice of pop punk perfection that will be filling the dancefloor at indie discos long after the band have gone.
Luckily, I Should Coco is such a strong record that the energy never really lets up. The barroom stomp of ‘Lenny’ makes way for the misfit anthem ‘Strange Ones’ before ‘Time’, the most mature song on the record, and the one that most strongly hints at the direction the band would eventually go in, gives everyone a bit of a breather – a moment to acknowledge just how great Coombes’ voice still sounds, how strong Mick Quinn’s harmonies remain (many of them at a pitch that no man of his age should be attempting) and the rolling thunder of Danny Goffey’s drums. Despite convincingly rolling back the years, Coombes does at one point lament that playing these early songs “…is a lot harder when you’re 51”, before adding “It’s a lot easier in your twenties on a combination of acid and speed”. Quite.
The band leave the stage with I Should Coco dealt with before returning with an absolutely pulverising rendition of ‘Richard III’. That riff should be illegal. ‘Late in the Day’ is as beautifully maudlin as ever (and will always remind me of pogo sticks), but ‘Mary’ is the real jewel in the crown of this performance and the band’s oeuvre. It’s a spine-tingling, menacing song built around possible Coombes’ finest guitar work and Goffey’s, quite frankly, terrifying drumming – an underrated gem.
The sunshine pop of ‘Grace’ acts as a palette cleanser after the manic intensity of ‘Mary’, and the band finish up with the traditional one-two of ‘Sun Hits the Sky’ (complete with an extended and wonderful organ solo) and ‘Pumping on Your Stereo’ – the latter of which gets the biggest reaction of the night (which, to be fair, with this crowd mainly involves some polite clapping and slightly apologetic hip swaying).
Gaz Coombes and the band may have written many of these songs as teenagers, but it is clear that they mean so much to so many. Supergrass are a band that has stood the test of time, and based on tonight’s performance, there is plenty of life in the old dog yet. I should coco, anyway.
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